Are We Too Available?
Reclaiming Balance in a 24/7
In today’s incredibly fast paced, hyperconnected world, it’s become almost impossible for most of us to unplug, especially if you work online.
As a busy parent juggling homeschooling, working online and the day to day mom life responsibilities like grocery lists, laundry and family group chats, I often ask myself ……are we too available?
Thanks to smartphones and social media, we’re reachable every minute of the day and night.
A work text at 11 PM? Better reply. A Facebook message during dinner? Just a quick check. An instagram message. I’ll quickly answer before I forget.
But this always-on lifestyle doesn’t come without a cost.
It affects our mental health, our physical energy, and perhaps most importantly, our family connection.
If we are truly honest with ourselves, we would easily see that being too available is shaping our lives and slowly, disconnecting us from our families.
So, what we can do to reclaim our time without disconnecting completely?
The Price of Being Always Connected: Mental Health Strain
One of the biggest impacts of an “always-available” culture is on our mental health. The constant pings, notifications, and expectations to respond immediately leave us very little room for peace.
As parents, especially moms, we are already carrying a mental load that’s overflowing…… planning meals, remembering birthdays, school deadlines, and work obligations.
Now, add the pressure of being digitally available 24/7, and it all becomes totaly overwhelming.
Studies have shown that digital burnout is real. Constant exposure to screens, social media comparison traps, and message fatigue can lead to serious issues like anxiety, restlessness, and disturbed sleep.
We scroll for comfort,out of boredom, from habit, for entertainment or to connect but many people often end up feeling more disconnected and overstimulated than before.
Physical Health Suffers When We Never Shut Down
You know that tight feeling in your shoulders?
You may have felt the late night headaches?
How many restless nights have you spent scrolling instead of sleeping?
These are not just part of modern life, they’re signs that our bodies are crying out for rest. We need to shut down and reset.
When we’re glued to our devices our physical health takes a backseat. We sit more, we move less. We often sleep poorly, and many of us even eat while distracted by our screens as the harmful blue light exposure from those screens messes with our circadian rhythm.
As a parent, it’s so easy in a busy world of juggling and keeping little humans alive to fall into the trap of “just five more minutes” online.
We all do it and realistically it’s a sanity saver and honestly the easiest way to get things done while keeping the kids entertained.
However
When we do that repeatedly, hours on end, those minutes steal our energy, our family connection and our physical wellness…… all of which which we need more to show up for our families.
Always Available, Rarely Present: The Impact on Family Life
Here’s the truth that for many of us may sting…… being always connected often means we’re not really present with the people who matter most.
How many times have we nodded through a child’s story while half-reading an email? Or said “hang on” while we finish a reply on WhatsApp?
Our kids, our partners, and even ourselves, miss out on real connection when screens come first.
The irony is that we use phones to stay connected. Many of us work online, we rely on our screens for our income, and setting work hour boundries can be harder to navigate.
But
If you worked in an office you’d have strict hourly times and weekends off. Being online longer doesnt make you a better employee ….it steals time from your home.
and
The reality is as much as we may want to connect more our screen time can easily make us disconnected from our families.
That emotional absence leaves kids feeling unheard and partners feeling second place. And if we’re totally honest, it can leave us feeling immensely guilty for not having time to be present and scattered in trying to balance the time We do have.
How to Stay Connected Without Being Available 24/7
So how do we break the cycle without giving up the tools that help us stay in touch?
As someone who is currently walking this road the first steps start with being honest with yourself about how much screen time affects your families, your home, your life.
Then it’s about creating healthy boundaries and intentional connections.
Here are some simple yet powerful strategies for digital balance that I currently use:
1. Set Tech-Free Zones
We came together as a family and designated areas in our home (like the dinner table) as phone-free zones. These spaces are for uninterrupted connection with our family. No phones allowed!
2. Schedule “Do Not Disturb” Time
I work online and often found myself answering clients after hours or over the weekends. Wanting to offer the best service I never let myself rest.
Now I use my phone’s settings to silence notifications during certain hours. I’ve also learnt to not answer emails over weeends and to leave business whatsapp messages until business hours.
I no longer work over weekends, unless it’s urgent and have set reasonable working hours for myself.
Most importantly I’ve communicated this with friends and colleagues so they know when I ’ll respond. Ensuring that my work/life boundries are respected.
3. Batch Your Responses
I’m a huge fan of time blocking and that technique has definite advantages in setting specific times to check mails, answer messages or go on social media.
By doing this it limits my distractions and helps me to focus more deeply on each task or conversation.
4. Limit Social Media Scroll Time
Doom scrolling is the mother of all procrastination. Its far to easy to be watching a friends Tiktok and suddenly find myself down a rabbit hole researching if aliens did indeed invent slime and realising that I’ve just lost 4 hours of my life that I can’t get back.
Using screen time limits or apps that restrict my social media usage to a reasonable amount a day in order to get my work done have helped me be more productive.
After all …. a focused scroll is better than mindless doom scrolling.
5. Practice Presence
This can be hard in the beginning if you are weaning yourself off of a screen addiction, but as with anything a habit is formed in 14 days so if you’re intentional about making that connection in your first two weeks, eventually it won’t be so hard to have to put the time aside….it will once again be a natural part of your day.
Start with five uninterrupted minutes with your child or partner.
No phone!
No distractions!
Those moments ARE more valuable than any like or comment online.
Finding Freedom in Digital Boundaries
This might all feel uncomfortable at first, but setting healthy boundaries around your availability isn’t selfish …. it’s essential for your well-being.
When we’re less reactive to every ping, message and notication we gain space to think, rest, and once again connect meaningfully with those around us.
So, the next time you feel the urge to instantly respond, pause and ask yourself:
Is this urgent?
Can it wait?
Chances are, it can wait, and in that moment, you actually gift yourself a little more peace, and you’re gifting your family a little more of you. A gift more valuable than gold.
Being Present Is the New Connected
Being connected doesn’t have to mean being available 24/7.
As a parent, modeling digital balance is one of the most powerful lessons we can pass on to our kids. They’re watching how we use our devices and it is important that we show them how to also rest, priorize connection and be present.
And
Remember…… you’re allowed to be unavailable sometimes. You’re allowed to protect your time, your peace, and your family.
Unplug a little. Breathe a lot. And reconnect where it matters most.
